Canadian citizenship in 2021: methods, what you need, cost

Find out how to move to Canada with family

The Family Reunification Program in Canada allows permanent residents to sponsor relatives in foreign countries to obtain the right to move and live in the country. , the Family sponsorship program was approved , under which permanent residence to family members of a Canadian resident. Sponsorship means financial support and assistance in providing basic needs, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.

General requirements for an applicant to participate in the Family sponsorship program

over 18 years of age who has permanent residence in Canada can become a sponsor . A permanent resident will need to confirm with Immigration and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that they have an official source of income to support a financially dependent person while residing in the country. Permanent residence may be granted to family members at the same time as the main applicant participating in federal immigration programs through the Express Entry , or after moving to Canadian territory. A Canadian resident has legal responsibility for the sponsored family member, which ranges from 3 to 20 years .

Conditions for obtaining Canadian citizenship

There are basic conditions and requirements for candidates for Canadian citizenship - this is the age of majority, the presence of a 5-year permanent residence status, three years of permanent stay in the country on the basis of immigration programs. It is important not to leave Canada six months before registering the application, to know French or English, which are the official languages, and to successfully pass the exam on the history of Canada.

For minors, all these conditions are not mandatory. Children under 18 years of age can obtain Canadian citizenship based on the application of one of the parents who holds a Canadian passport or is in the process of obtaining one. Applicants over 58 years of age are also exempt from taking exams and language level certification.

Features of sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner

Dependent persons over the age of 18 who do not apply for government assistance, with the exception of disability, are allowed to obtain permanent residence under the family reunification program in Canada A spouse is considered by Canadian law as a person legally married to the applicant; a common-law partner is a person living with the applicant for at least 12 months .

General list of documents for sponsoring a spouse or common-law partner in Canada

mandatory immigration forms from IRCC;
identification;
confirmation of status in Canada;
Marriage certificate;
certificate of good conduct;
medical examination results (submitted after processing).

Conditions for obtaining a Canadian passport

In order to become a Canadian citizen, you must meet a number of criteria.

You must be a permanent resident of Canada, that is, have Permanent Resident status (PR card). This status is obtained upon immigration under one of the provincial or federal programs, and it provides the opportunity to enjoy all social benefits. Including, you get the right to work in Canada and receive education at the same cost as local students, Canadian citizens.
Must be 18 years of age or older.
You will also need proficiency in English or French at the level of adequate perception and communication. An adequate level is defined as level 4 on the Canadian Language Benchmarks. There are various ways to prove language skills, including certificates from immigrant language programs, vocational or higher education diplomas from local institutions, and official test scores (IELTS General, CELPIP General, and several others).
To obtain citizenship, it is necessary to know the geographical, political, historical and legal features of the Canadian state at the proper level.
To become a Canadian citizen you must have lived in the country for 3 years or 1095 days out of the last four years as a permanent resident. If you lived in Canada for some time before receiving permanent resident status, then part of this time can also be counted towards the required 3 years, but each day is counted as half a day. The entire time calculation can be done using a special online calculator.

Obtaining citizenship is not possible if you are under investigation or in the process of deportation.

It is a misconception that if you marry a Canadian citizen, you will automatically receive a Canadian passport. Even in this case, you will have to apply for immigration and, on the same basis, later prepare to obtain Canadian citizenship.

Features of child sponsorship

Requirements for parents and financially dependent children

Under Canadian law, a financially dependent child is considered to be a child under 22 years who does not have a spouse or common-law partner, and over 22 years of age with a physical or mental disability. Registration of permanent residence for a stepdaughter or stepson is possible with the simultaneous sponsorship of the applicant's spouse . Each family member applying to move to Canada must undergo a medical examination and confirm good health.

General list of documents for immigration of financially dependent children to Canada

mandatory forms of sponsorship;
proof of residence in Canada;
certificate of source of income;
passport, travel documents;
certificate of no criminal record;
child's birth certificate;
confirmation of family ties;
2 photos taken within the last 6 months.

HOW TO OBTAIN CANADA CITIZENSHIP

Canada is the second largest country in the world after Russia, with vast reserves of natural resources, amazing landscapes, a stable economy and a high standard of living. In short, the dream of every immigrant. Canadian citizenship for Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians and many other foreigners opens up broad opportunities for integration into the global world of free movement, economic cooperation and social communications.

Over the past 25 years, Canada has received about 250 thousand immigrants annually. According to experts, in recent years (2018–2019) this figure exceeds 300 thousand, an average of more than 800 people per day. Plus, several hundred thousand foreign students study at Canadian universities, and local companies employ over 200 thousand temporary workers. There are more than a million Ukrainians alone permanently residing in Canada. In some provinces, for example, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the share of ethnic Ukrainians even exceeds 10% of the total population.

The significant wave of immigration to Canada is not only due to the quality of life and high social standards. In many ways, this situation has developed due to the pragmatic and at the same time liberal approach to migrants on the part of the Canadian government. The country has effective professional immigration programs aimed at simplifying the procedure for moving to Canada for foreigners whose knowledge and experience is needed by the local economy.

Of course, there are difficulties and undercurrents, but still staying and eventually obtaining citizenship in Canada is much easier compared to many European countries.

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Features of sponsorship of parents and grandparents

Applications for parental sponsorship in Canada are accepted from applicants who can confirm sufficient financial security and the absence of intentions of relatives to receive government payments after moving to the country. A prerequisite is the signing of a sponsorship agreement . The Canadian resident is obliged to provide financial support to the persons specified in the application for 3–20 years , depending on the age of the relatives, from the moment they are granted permanent residence . Dependents also need to be guaranteed self-sufficiency after obtaining permanent residence.

General list of documents for sponsoring the relocation of parents and grandparents to Canada

IRCC prescribed forms;
birth certificates of the sponsor and parents and grandparents;
marriage certificate of parents and grandparents;
travel documents of the sponsor and family members;
2 photographs of the sponsor and each dependent person measuring 5x7 cm, taken within the last 6 months;
confirmation of the source of income for sponsorship.

Can a Canadian passport be refused and what should I do?

The procedure for obtaining a Canadian passport will be refused if the applicant:

submitted false information about himself;
has violated the law in the last three years (has been under investigation or imprisoned in the last 4 years);
poses a threat to Canada's national security;
is in deportation status;
was previously stripped of his Canadian citizenship.

After refusal, there is still a chance to reapply after 5 years. If documents are submitted by spouses at the same time and one of them is denied, this does not mean that the other will also not be able to obtain citizenship. The migration service considers all documents purely individually. Canadian citizenship is also revoked for persons who have not resided in the country for more than 10 years.

Canada's public policy is focused on attracting immigrants, considering this process as one of the factors in the country's economic development. Therefore, moving here for permanent residence and obtaining citizenship is quite possible. It is important to meet the immigration requirements as much as possible: have a sought-after profession, sufficient financial resources, good health and an impeccable biography.

Preparation of documents and process of obtaining Canadian citizenship

To begin the process of obtaining a passport, you need to collect a portfolio of documents:

A completed application form indicating personal data and information about places of work over the past 4 years

Photocopies of Permanent Resident cards

Photocopies of immigration documents

Applicants from 18 to 54 years old provide photocopies of language certificates for knowledge of one of the state languages, English or French

Photocopies of school certificates obtained within the last 4 years (including for children)

Photocopies of two photo IDs

A form or printed document from the immigration service website indicating the exact period of stay in Canada

Confirmation of payment of the mandatory fee. The fee for obtaining Canadian citizenship is $200 for an adult and $100 for a child.

You can find a more detailed list by following the link.

If necessary, the ministry may request additional documents that were received during the period of residence in the country. Most often these are bank statements, invoices, client IDs or photocopies of rental agreements and others.

Additional costs usually include taking language tests and paying for mail forwarding services.

The prepared package of documents must be sent to the address indicated on the website in Nova Scotia. If all components of the document package are present and you meet all the requirements, your documents will be forwarded to the immigration office closest to you. This is where you will be invited to take a citizenship test, in which you must correctly answer 15 points out of 20. The wait for a call to take the exam is individual in each case and can last 18 months or more, but this allows you to better prepare for the test and pass it with a high score .

The final stage is to receive an invitation to the oath-taking ceremony and the presentation of a certificate indicating the new status of a Canadian citizen.